


Trust

by hawkeing_eta



Category: Persona 2, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Family, Family Bonding, Flowers, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-29 02:22:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14462925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeing_eta/pseuds/hawkeing_eta
Summary: Ever since they had gotten to know each other, Akira had picked up an interest in the plants and flowers Jun had shown him. It was encouraging to see Akira want to take care of something and to do it well. Jun was incredibly grateful they could share this.





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> A fic for @starspyce on twitter
> 
> This is part of my [Definition of Found Family AU](https://archiveofourown.org/series/773310), but takes place before the events of the game. Because of that, it isn't going into the series collection proper.

Akira had been quiet all day.

The wet dirt was cool to his hands even through the gardening gloves. If he looked through the glass doors, Jun could see Akira at his spot at the small table in the family room. Jun stared, hands lingering in the dirt, and he can’t help wonder if he had done the right thing. There was no question of morals in taking the boy out of that home. But was his the best home to put him into?

The thought of him being driven by selfish desires left a sour taste in his mouth, yet he couldn’t deny the thought of Akira ending up out of his reach had been a distressing one. When Akira had first spoken to him, it had been such a milestone; a long road pathed with patience and gifted flowers speaking of promise.

Even with patient prompting, Akira still didn’t talk often. But coaxing out the boy’s thoughts had become an easier task for the both of them. Tatsuya, on the other hand, was still struggling. He tried, but the wall between them was still too high.

Jun sighed and finished patting down the dirt around the bushes decisively. They just need time. Forcing a relationship would only bring about animosity. Tatsuya was trying, and Jun supposed he understood Akira’s quiet nature more than he thought. The two have more in common than either of them realize. Jun stood from the base of the peony bush and tugged his gloves off as he dusted the dirt from his jeans.

They should be in bloom soon. Just a little more time, and the hot sun beating down should be welcome.

Slipping off the large sun hat, Jun stepped up onto the porch. He let himself look back over the small yard. It was still fairly empty, a few patches of tulips proudly growing along the brick fence, small wildflowers surrounding a few bundles of pansies tucked into the corner. The peony bush had been the first thing they planted, on the other side of the yard. Tatsuya had helped him with it.

Standing in the shade of the porch, Jun could reassure himself there was still plenty of time for everything to grow.

Jun turned to head inside, and there’s nothing he would change.

As he slipped his shoes off to leave just outside, Jun left the door to the backyard open. Akira did not look up from the stack of papers he had scattered about on the low table. Jun quietly walked past, and glanced down at the pile. Crayons were neatly piled beside Akira as he carefully colored in a long shape with a bright orange. The lines were a little crude, but the drawing was undisputedly his cat doll. The toy hadn’t left his side since Tatsuya had given it to him the other week. Jun smiled to himself as he walked into the kitchen.

The doll has been a good bridge for Akira and Tatsuya. Something is still missing; the right key to fit between the quiet gaps. At least Akira had stopped closing himself off so securely around them. Small steps.

Jun washed his hands and as he walked back into the family room, placed a small glass of water in a gap of some of the paper. He took a seat on a cushion across from Akira, and sipped from his own glass as he watched Akira’s intent coloring. His tongue was poking out.

“Is that Momo?” Jun finally asked as he leaned forward onto his propped up hand. Akira nodded as he reached for the brown crayon.

The doll in question was leaning against Akira’s side on his cushion with him.

Jun continued quietly watching Akira carefully color in the outline of his cat. His fingers ran along the rim of his glass and as Jun looked up to Akira’s face, he knew if there was something Akira wanted to say, if there was something he wanted heard, he would say it. It reminded Jun of Tatsuya. There was no need for extra noise for the sake of filling an already comfortable silence. Jun had to wonder if that was the understanding they seemed to have been developing.

They were both trying, and with how much more often Akira was speaking up instead of keeping it all down, they could see the effort Akira was putting in as well.

The tabletop was completely covered in papers, both filled with colorful crayons and some he hadn’t gotten to yet. Despite the chaos, Jun could see some semblance of order. To Akira’s right were most of his finished drawings. Most seemed to consist of characters he must have seen on television, or how he pictured the scenes from the books Jun or Tatsuya would read him. One of them was the garden just outside. Jun liked the bright colors Akira chose, even if they hadn’t been completely accurate. He tucked some of that away for later when he could get around to expanding.

Akira looked up from his drawing finally. Jun wondered if there was something on his mind, but he caught how Akira’s eyes shifted towards the glass door briefly. That seemed enough to settle the matter. Jun smiled.

“I could use an extra hand outside. Would you care to help me, Akira?” Jun asked lightly, his chin still resting in his propped up hand. Akira sat up a little straighter. Jun felt a little eager himself. He pushed himself up from the floor. “Come on. You’ve been taking very good care of the tulips. I’m sure they miss you.”

It was enough of a prompt to get Akira up and following. Jun had meant it as well. Ever since they had gotten to know each other, Akira had picked up an interest in the plants and flowers Jun had shown him.

It was encouraging to see Akira want to take care of something and to do it well. Jun was incredibly grateful they could share this.

Akira was the first one outside. He jumped down from the porch just as Jun was stepping out, leaving the door open once again. Jun picked up his discarded sun hat before he stepped down as well and came to stand behind Akira, who was looking over the line of tulips against the fence. There weren’t many, but the few Jun did have were a vibrant and lively red. Akira crouched down to look closer at one. His small hand reached out to gently poke one of the firm petals.

Twisting the rim of his sun hat in his hands, Jun let the hat plop down on top of Akira’s head. It was too large. Akira immediately reached up to push the floppy rim out of his eyes.

“The sun’s hot today. You should wear that for a while,” Jun said as he stepped away towards the side of the house. The maintenance that needed to be done, Jun had already taken care of. All that was left was to give the plants water for the day. Jun pulled up the large steel watering can and brought it back to where Akira and the tulips were. As long as Jun watched, Akira could handle it.

Akira watched Jun approach and Jun easily caught that spark of interest in his big eyes.

“It’s heavy,” Jun said as he held out the watering can for Akira to take. He had only filled it not even halfway earlier, but it was still a little bigger than Akira’s torso. Akira nodded as he carefully grabbed a hold with both hands, one at the base and another gripping the handle overtop. He bit his lip as he held onto the watering can, brows furrowed in concentration. Jun patted the top of Akira’s head as he stepped back.

Akira watered the flowers and he put his whole body into it. He was practically bending over the large watering can to let the water spill out. There was an astonishing amount of consideration to his method, however. With his feet firmly planted on the ground and his tongue peeking out as he focused, Akira was careful not to let the water simply be dumped out, and made sure most of it made it to the dirt, instead of drowning the petals themselves.

He stood up once to push the sun hat back out of his eyes, and went back to his careful work.

Jun stood back and watched. His arms crossed and one hand laid against his chest, fingers pressing just above his heart, near his collarbone. The delightful sunshine couldn’t compare to the warmth that spread in his chest as he watched Akira so attentively care for these plants. He smiled and Jun was thankful they could share this.

There would be no need to assist Akira any further. He had listened all those times Jun had instructed him on how to properly care for flowers, and was executing it just as he should. Jun’s eyes wandered to the far side of the yard. This wouldn’t keep Akira preoccupied long, and the wildflowers gave Jun an idea. It had been a few years, but he had confidence he could remember.

With one last glance to Akira, Jun stepped away and crouched down beside the plot where the pansies and wildflowers were growing together. By summer’s end, he had plans of using this space for something else. The guilt of plucking a few prematurely hadn’t weighed too heavily.

It took a few attempts before muscle memory kicked back in and Jun was deftly chaining the stems together. Across the yard, Jun could hear the clang of the watering can, and the scraping it made as Akira pushed it back into its place at the side of the house.

Tiny footsteps approached and Jun kept up his careful weaving. The chain was almost at an adequate length; a touch small for his own head. Akira stood next to him and quietly watched with wide, curious eyes. Jun only offered a glance and a simple smile before he tucked the last of the stems into the other end. Akira’s hands fidget with the red rim of his white shirt.

“May I have my hat, Akira?” Jun asks, sounding offhanded. Akira looked surprised by the request, but complied. He pulled at the flimsy rim of the too large hat and held it out. With one hand, Jun took the hat and reached out with the other to place the circlet on top of Akira’s frizzy hair.

Akira’s hands immediately went up to his head to take it off. As he held it out in front of him, he looked over the pansies and wildflowers that had been carefully intertwined together. Jun could see how his eyes trailed over the knots and interweaving, trying to work it out himself. Jun didn’t doubt he could do it if given enough time.

“Would you like to learn to make these yourself?”

Akira nodded. Jun couldn’t fight the smile that spread warmly across his face.

They settled themselves into the thin glass of the backyard. Jun suggested some of the flowers around that would be more suited for making chains with, and which would pose more of a challenge. Thankfully, Akira is more drawn to the wildflowers. His legs stretched out in front of him, a small pile of wildflowers collected between them. Jun instructed Akira how to properly wrap the stems together without breaking the chain. It only took a few examples before Akira settled into the pattern.

As Jun watched Akira knot wildflowers together, he could hear the distant sound of a motorcycle coming down the road. Jun glances up towards the sky and he hadn’t realized it had gotten to be that time of day.

It was only a few more flowers linked together before either of them heard it pull in under the overhang on the side of the house.

Akira added one more white wildflower before he held up the flimsy chain in his hands. Jun looked it over with exaggerated consideration. A small smile started to play at the corner of Akira’s mouth.

“Do you think it’s long enough?” Jun asked.

Akira nodded.

“I think you’re right,” Jun nodded himself, “Go ahead and take that last stem and carefully tuck it in with the other end. Here.” Jun carefully showed him how. Once Akira understood, Jun sat back and watched Akira’s small fingers work. The sun overhead caught in his dark hair, highlighting the deep browns, and how charming had that messy mop looked with the vibrant blues of the pansies and specks of white from the small buds of the wildflowers scattered about.

Akira looked focused as he attempted to tie it all together himself. Jun had to fight down the urge to help. Akira could do it.

There was sudden pride in his eyes as Akira sat up and held out the connected chain of wildflowers. Jun felt it himself. When Akira turned to look up to him, his smile widened even more as he offered it out. Jun stared.

“Now you have one, too.”

The swell of adoration in Jun’s chest overflowed into his smile.

“Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

Jun leaned forward just enough for Akira to place the flowers on top of Jun’s head. Akira was still smiling as Jun sat back up and adjusted how the chain was laying on his hair. It was a touch too small, Jun could tell. It didn’t matter. They were both smiling as they sat besides Jun’s wildflowers and pansies.

With a flourish, Jun sat up straight. His hands elegantly framed his face as he held his head high, glancing down at Akira from the corner of his eye.

“Does it suit me?” He asked. Akira laughed behind his hands.

“Yes.” One of Akira’s hands came up and toyed with one of the pansies on his own head. His smile was wide and Jun could barely see his eyes anymore.

“…I’m home.”

They both quickly turned to look to the patio. Tatsuya was standing in the open doorway. Jun’s hands were still framing his face. An amused twitch pulled at the corner of Tatsuya’s mouth, and Jun let his smile soften.

“Welcome home, Tatsuya.”

Jun got the sense that Tatsuya noticed Akira not responding. He was staring, but it hadn’t been apprehension or concern that kept Akira quiet. It was unfamiliarity, Jun reasoned. That damn wall the two of them had, and hadn’t intended to construct so high.

Their quiet natures, although do attribute to a certain level of understanding between the two, was backfiring.

Sometimes, Tatsuya just needed a little prompting.

“I was showing Akira how to chain flowers. Would you care to join us?” Jun asked. Tatsuya’s demeanour relaxed despite the surprised look in his eyes.

“Uh… Let me change.” Tatsuya looked away, sheepish. His cheeks faintly burned pink. “I smell like grease…” Before he turns to head back inside, Tatsuya hesitated. The calico cat doll was in his hands, and he held it out toward Akira. “You left him at the table. He looked lonely.”Akira stared at it, but finally stood. There was no hesitancy as Akira reached up and took it from Tatsuya’s outstretched hand. Akira silently stepped back into the garden as soon as he had it, however.

Tatsuya tried to hide his sigh, but at least Akira was holding the doll close.

The awkward hesitancy between them reminded Jun of when he had first met Akira. The desire was there, and the opportunity. Despite the standstill the two often found themselves in, Akira hadn’t been guarding himself any longer. In a way, Tatsuya was having an easier time than Jun had.

Jun watched Akira look over his cat doll. There was fondness in that young gaze. Jun reached out and gently touched his son’s arm—still such a new word for them both—and let him know he would be right back as he stood from the thin grass.

Tatsuya hadn’t shut the glass door when he had gone back inside. At least he had been sincere in his implication.

Jun stepped inside and spotted Tatsuya at the kitchen sink. Even from the otherside of the house, Jun could smell the soap lingering in the air. He had to wonder just how strong the scent of grease and oil had clung to Tatsuya. His steps were soft as he walked across the family room and past the dining table. Reaching out a hand, Jun let his fingers run up Tatsuya’s arm to his shoulder. Tatsuya didn’t respond much, but Jun hadn’t expected him to. He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on top them, leaning onto Tatsuya’s shoulder. Jun watched him scrub off what little grime was left off of his hands.

Jun wasn’t sure if they had grown more calloused since Tatsuya had picked up the job or not.

“How was your day?” Jun asked, voice low and muffled. Tatsuya shook his head.

“Quiet.” Tatsuya reached over for one of the hand towels. He was careful not to jar Jun from his perch on his shoulder as he dried his hands off. “…I worked on my own bike more than anything else.” It had sounded like a guilty confession. Jun just hummed in acknowledgment and tilted his head down just enough to press his lips to the top of Tatsuya’s shoulder. He let his eyes fall shut as he lingered.

Jun could feel Tatsuya’s hesitation. He waited patiently for him to sort through the words he must have been looking for. As Jun breathed against Tatsuya’s frame, the smell of the small repair shop he had come from was lingering heavily on his shirt. If he hadn’t planned on going back outside soon, he would have insisted Tatsuya change. It was fine for now.

“How’s the kid?” Tatsuya finally asked, voice lower than before. Jun lifted his head just enough to rest his chin back on his folded hands. His eyes still lingered closed.

“Quiet,” Jun echoed softly, “But it’s been better since I took him outside to preoccupy him.” He made a mental note to show Tatsuya Akira’s drawings as well. He would like them.

Tatsuya hummed, and Jun could feel him start to turn. His eyes finally slid open and Jun saw the way Tatsuya was looking at him. His eyes were focused just above him. A smile abruptly spread across Jun’s face.

“He caught on fairly quick,” Jun said with a twinge of pride in his voice. “Would you like one as well, Tatsuya?” There was a teasing quality to Jun’s question, but he had meant it completely. Tatsuya laughed and looked back towards his hands by the sink. Jun already knew the answer.

“Let me change, and I’ll be outside.”

“Thank you.” Jun didn’t even try to hid the relief from his voice and pressed a firm kiss to Tatsuya’s shoulder.

Jun let Tatsuya head upstairs, and decided to join Akira back out in the garden once more. As he stood in the doorway, Jun watched Akira sitting not far away from where he had left him. He had settled by the wildflowers once more, cat doll seated between his legs, along with another small pile of wildflowers. There was one, large red tulip that he was intently wrapping the smaller flowers around. Jun hadn’t given him permission to use those, but he couldn’t bring himself to scold him for it.

Akira looked focused on his task. His tongue was poking out yet again as he carefully chained the stems together. Jun was impressed he was handling the different stem sizes so well.

He must have lost track of time as he watched from the doorframe. A warm hand slipped around his stomach and Jun let himself be pulled back into a one-armed hug. The heavy scent of the repair shop still lingered, but it was no longer so overpowering. Tatsuya leaned forward into Jun as they both looked out into the yard and watched Akira.

Jun could still feel Tatsuya’s hesitancy. He let one hand rest atop Tatsuya’s and gently squeezed it.

“Jun,” Akira called, staring down at the small chain in his hands. Even from his spot on the porch, Jun could see the way his brows furrowed in consideration. Jun patted Tatsuya’s arm as he stepped away to investigate.

Jun immediately saw the problem before he even finished crossing the yard. Leaning over, Akira paused his fussing hands and offered out what little of the chain he had.

“…It won’t fit.”

“Here. Let’s see…” Jun crouched down and helped Akira sort out the problem. The inconsistency of the stem sizes ended up being the issue, but Jun managed to link the flowers securely enough so Akira could handle the rest on his own. He seemed to have found his groove again.

Jun stood and patted Akira’s head, careful not to disrupt the flowers already encircling his fluffy hair.

He watched those tiny fingers methodically twist and tie until a soft and gentle strum of a guitar drifted up just behind him. By one of the pillars on the porch, Tatsuya had seated himself, legs hanging off the edge and an ankle caught with another.

Jun caught the way Akira glanced over. He saw how intently he had gone back to work. There was focus in his eyes. Jun decided to leave him to it.

Tatsuya continued to pluck at the guitar strings and the slow notes settled into the air around them. Jun hadn’t recognized the song, if it even was one. It melted with the hot sounds of summer, the distant cicadas chirping against the sun that would soon be setting. It was pleasing and somehow nostalgic.

Lazy notes floated through the garden and Tatsuya kept a watchful eye on Akira. His gaze was soft, and his smile was gentle.

Jun’s steps were light as he climbed back up onto the porch. The gentle music kept playing and he settled himself behind Tatsuya. His back was broad and warm under the shade of the overhang and everything settled into itself. Tatsuya kept playing and Jun leaned more and more into him, until Jun was eventually resting his full weight against him. He could admit how much he loved how well he fit against the curve as he rested his cheek against Tatsuya’s shoulder blade.

His hand trailed up Tatsuya’s back until it was resting against that same shoulder. The careful plucking of Tatsuya’s guitar strings did not jar him in the least. Jun let his eyes slide closed in his contentment.

A small chuckle rumbled Tatsuya’s whole frame, and Jun felt it more than he heard the warm sound. It spread its own warmth through his chest. He wanted to fall into it.

It was the abrupt stop of the fleeting notes that had stirred Jun awake. He had to pry his eyes open. When he glanced over Tatsuya’s shoulder, pulling himself a little higher, Jun saw Akira stand just in front of them both. He held out the connected chain of wildflowers and the one bright red tulip. There was no smile on Akira’s face, but there was a gentleness that was uncommon in a child his age. Tatsuya turned red in the face.

“…For me?”

Akira nodded. Tatsuya bent forward enough for Akira to reach up and place the chain on Tatsuya’s head. The small white flowers look so bright and pure against the red-brown of Tatsuya’s hair. Jun hid his wide smile against Tatsuya’s back.

There was satisfaction in Akira’s eyes as he looked over his hard work. He finally smiled. It was small, but Jun saw the milestone for what it was.

“Now we all match.”

“…Thanks.”

Akira nodded once again and climbed up onto the porch to head inside, cat doll in tow. Jun couldn’t see it, but he knew Tatsuya was smiling to himself. He could feel it in how his shoulders relaxed. Jun let his eyes look up and he saw his flowers his son had carefully wove together proudly worn atop his lover’s head.

His chest felt fit to burst and Jun needed to bury his face into the fabric of Tatsuya’s dark shirt. It was warm and elating how his heart beat against his ribs. He wondered if Tatsuya felt it as well. He hoped so.

Akira came back outside. His bare feet padded against the wood as he carefully carried a pile of papers and crayons with him, piling them not too far off from where Tatsuya and Jun had sat. Jun finally turned his head enough, and he could see the way Akira had tied the doll’s long arms around his neck to tote it around. Jun’s hand clung to the fabric of Tatsuya’s shirt and he looked up to meet Tatsuya’s eyes.

A smile bubbled its way up and Jun had no hope of keeping it in check.

“Tatsuya. I’m very happy right now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Red Tulips - Trust


End file.
